The present invention broadly relates to lighting fixtures or lamps and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a lamp junction for lamps to be assembled in a variety of external forms and appearances from standard components.
Generally speaking, the lamp junction of the present invention serves for electrically and mechanically connecting at least one lamp or light bulb socket as well as a light shield or lamp shade member surrounding the light bulb or other light source to a lamp support member or standard. A central support junction is provided with a bore for accommodating the lamp support member or standard. At least one substantially tubular connection member for each lamp or light bulb socket is fixedly arranged in the central support junction. An anchorage member for the light shield or lamp shade member which can be slid onto the connection member is axially fixedly but freely rotatably mounted upon the substantially tubular connection member.
In other words, the lamp junction of the present invention is for electrically and mechanically connecting at least one lamp socket and at least one lamp shade member to a lamp support member and comprises a central support junction, at least one substantially tubular connection member for the lamp socket and at least one anchorage member for each shade member. The central support junction is provided with a bore for accommodating the lamp support member. The substantially tubular connection member is fixedly mounted in the central support junction. The anchorage member is constructed to be slid onto the substantially tubular connection member and is axially fixed but freely rotatably mounted thereon.
The method for assembling the inventive lamp junction comprises the steps of assembling the central support junction, the tubular connection member and the anchorage member together and subsequently wiring-up the lamp socket.
The lamp of the present invention comprises the inventive lamp junction and has a cover sleeve formed from a section of substantially tubular material and has the section of substantially tubular material provided with an aperture for accommodating the lamp support member.
Lamp junctions of this general type are known, for instance from the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,491,448, granted Dec. 13, 1949, and 2,850,622, granted Dec. 2, 1958. These lamp junctions form basic supporting elements of lamps upon which, on the one hand, the lamp or light bulb socket and the light shield or lamp shade member and, on the other hand, the lamp support member or standard are fastened and simultaneously permit the electrical wiring of the lamp or light bulb socket in accordance with safety regulations, which poses problems especially in relation to adjustably arranged light shields or lamp shade members. The body of the lamp must be mechanically stable without substantially increasing the weight of the lamp.
While the known lamp junctions do partially fill these requirements, they only do so by employing a multiplicity of individual components of complicated shape, of which the support components in particular are visible on the exterior and determine the appearance of the lamp. Therefore, the appropriate components must be fabricated and kept in inventory for each lamp type. An alteration of the external appearance of the lamp thus requires a new lamp junction especially adapted thereto.